St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-11-03
Gke GaIedonian,
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
PRESIDENT CLEvELAND's TRIl
Lessons OF the Journey.
Ne10 York ECening Post.

The Journey originated IN the press
ing invitation which the President re
ceived to visit st. Louis after tn
grand army encampment, in view o.
the unpleasantness caused by black
guards of the futile type over his pro
posed attendance on that occasion, anC
in the equally pressing invitation tt
lend his presence at the Piedmont eX-
position in Atlanta. Mr.. Cleveland's
acceptance of these invitations was nC
sooner announced than he was earn
estly urged to extend his trip so as tC
visit other cities, and he was thus LED
to plan a schedule which took hin
through several of the chief states in
both the West and the South.
The most striking feature of the trip
has been the heaFtiness with which
Mr.. Cleveland has been received, az
well in the republican states of the
West as in the democratic states Of
the South. Georgia turned out no
larger crowds of spectators than Min
nesOta Montgomery, Ala, than Oma-
Ina, Neb. The Tribune's cOrrespOn-
dence has repeatedly borne emphatic
testimony to the nOnpartisan charac-
ter of the welcome accorded the Presi-
dent and the zeal with which republi-
cans have joined democrats in doing
him honor. There seems to be nc
doubt that never since the "era of good
feeling" in which Madison made his
journeys 20 years ago have people OF
all parties participated more generally
anc heartily in receptions to Il presi-
dent of the United States. This fact
is significant of the dying out of those
bitter partisan animOsities which de-
velOped not long after MadisOn's day,
became intensified with each decade
that preceded the war, and for %
years survived the end of that contest
Mr.. Cleveland's trip has proved that
this attitude of the public mind is JUS
titled by the final settlement of the
great controversy which caused such
partisan and sectional bitterness.
Events have cOnspired to draw public
attention to the strength of those
bonds which now for the first time
unite the states in perfect union. AT
Memphis Mr.. Cleveland was welcomed
by Judge Elicit, the most conspicuous
citizen, whose sudden death few mo-
ments later, caused every reader to
scan his speech, and to find in it this
frank acceptance OF the situation
"The southern people have bowed to
the stern logic of events until they
have in frank and manly way accept
ed the result of the struggle as final
settlement of all questions in dispute
and they have since labored with rare
courage, fOrtitude and cheerfulness to
accommodate themselves to their new
conditions to reconstruct their broken
fortunes, and to contribute as far as
possible to the general prosperity and
happiness of the whole country. AS
one practical result accomplished by
the conflict, the theory of the right of
states to withdraw from the federal
compact was overthrow, and the in
destructibility of the American Union
was established on the firmest fOunda-
ton. The chief element of discOrd
has been removed forever and though
questions will continue to arise about
which men may differ, and differ earn
estly, it is settled beyond appeal that
for all abuses and grievances that may
arise from the action of the govern
ment, the remedy must hereafter be
sought within the pale of the Union,
and under the forms of established
law.n
At Montgomery the President stood
in the city where the confederate gov
eminent was organized under jefferson
Davis upon the corner stone of slave
ny. He was welcomed by governor
who had fought to overthrow the gov
eminent presided over by Abraham
Lincoln. Yet this confederate sol
der took special pains to rank the
emancipation with the father of his
country, using these notable words
StSnRRaaGnr imh nf
Washington, of jackson, and Lincoln,
he represents in law and in fact the
unity of the American people" Mr..
Cleveland was equally frank and en-
phatic OH his part. After declaring his
belief that there need be no fear that
the northern people will permit their
intimate and profitable business rela-
tons with the South to be destroyed
or endangered by designing demagOgs,
and that "the wickedness of those par
tisans who seek to aid their ambitious
schemes by engendering hate among
a generous people is fast meeting eX-
pOsure," he added, "and yet there is
and should be an insistence upon a
strict adherence to this settlement
which has been made of disputed ques-
tiOns, and upon the unTeserved accept
"rebel" accepts Abraham Lincoln as
national hero in whom he has as much
pride as the Union soldier feels, and
when a president largely elected 10y
the ''sOlid South" utters such language
as this in the birthplace of the cOnfed
eracy, the veriest bourbon of them all,
North or South, must see that the old
sectional issue is forever eliminated.
The personal bearings of the trip
will inevitably be discussed. We do
not see how any candid person can
doubt that the journey has both shown
the Presidents great strength with the
people and increased that strength. |
There was more than the pTefunctOry |
respect due to the chief magistrate by |
every good citizen in the welcome Civ
en- Mr.. Cleveland by republicans. The
truth is that among them were tens of
thousands of men like Andrew Carne-
gle, ''staunch republicans" who
thought he was going to ruin the cOun-
try, but who now frankly confess that
his administration has been highly
creditable," and who evil shed no
tears if Mr.. Cleveland is re elected"
Despite his failures and blunders, Mr..
Cleveland has evidently impressed the
candid among his former opponents as
a man who is honestly trying to do his
duty to the country, and he reaps the
reward in a growing popular support.
The creditable manner in which he
has maintained the dignity of his Of
fee during the trip has been demon
strated by the utter failure of snarling
republican organs to find any plausi
BILE ground for criticism, while the pa
triOtic tone of his speeches in the South
has disarmed much opposition in the
North.
The most noteworthy and encOurag